Baltimore is an interesting case and you can make a good argument that the season they just had was about as big a fluke season as you'll ever get...I mean when you win, what was it, 14 consecutive extra inning games, that's as big a fluke as you'll ever find.,..but they do have some talent real solid talent in four or five spots. And it's going to get better.

I can't make that claim about Toronto a lot of guys on the downside of their careers...we'll see though, that's why they play the games.

And the Yankees will always be among the best teams with a high payroll making the playoffs practically every year because the consequences to ownership if they don't will be catastrophic. The fan base simply will not tolerate anything less than 90+ winning seasons and a playoff spot. They simply won't show up otherwise and will be vocal about it, plus the media in New York would destroy ownership and the Steinbrenner family ALL have tremendous ego's.

Lip

The Yankees have the capital to always contend. That we know. But they made the playoffs every year because of Rivera, Pettitte, Jeter, Posada, and Bernie Williams. Those guys were drafted and developed by their system. They added the FA pieces, but that was the backbone. Two of those guys are gone. Two more of them are close to the end. One can never make up his mind.

The media will shout and scream, but time slows everything. They're still the Yankees, but Hal Steinbrenner is looking to cut costs by '14. They have holes in the OF and starting rotation. The IF is really old.

I think Toronto has a lot of good young pitching which got hurt. The new guys are older, but still strong. Reyes and Buehrle makes any team better.

Baltimore has some good talent, but not enough on the mound. They could improve or regress some from last year with the close games. Greinke would be a bold, but necessary move for them as a contender.